Due to its complexity and multimodality treatment needs, traditional delivery of head and neck cancer care often occurs in a multidisciplinary cancer center, frequently in a university-based program in an urban setting. Fellowship training opportunities for subspecialty-focused head and neck surgeons have increased over recent years. There is a persistent concern that the number of newly minted Head & Neck Surgeons graduating each year outpaces the number of university-based employment opportunities, and that the workforce does not match the job opportunities. Recent publications examine this potential mismatch to better understand career choices, with a 2021 survey revealing that nearly 90% of fellowship graduates were employed by a university or academic institution and only 10% reported being in "private practice". However, it should not be an automatic assumption that academic practice is somehow superior to private practice. Moreover, not every patient can access university-based care, creating a societal mismatch between disease incidence, resources, and access to high quality care. The well-trained Head & Neck Surgeon may be able to deliver excellent care in a satisfying practice setting without an academic affiliation. This Expert Panel consists of 2 Head & Neck Surgeons who have practiced in both Academic and Community-based ("private") subspecialty settings, and they offer practical and actionable tips to provide high level evidence-based head and neck surgical care without the trappings of a university, and with a focus on patient-centered care as well as career satisfaction. Further, since graduates of comprehensive otolaryngology training programs receive a robust amount of head and neck surgery training in residency, discussing these practical tips will potentially assist the Comprehensive Otolaryngologist in private practice to expand head and neck services within their practice.